Drew Dixon
U.S. Sen. Ashley Moody recognized a quick-thinking Putnam County Sheriff’s deputy for his part in saving the life of a 1-year-old boy in January.
Moody presented Deputy Colt Wade a “Florida’s Finest Award.” She called Wade a hero for his part in the episode.
“The quick and heroic action of Putnam County Deputy Colt Wade saved the life of an innocent child. Deputy Wade is the embodiment of courage, compassion and commitment, an example of unwavering dedication to the mission and safety of our communities, and undoubtedly one of Florida’s Finest. It was my honor to recognize his life-saving action,” Moody said during the ceremony.
In late January, Putnam County Sheriff’s officials got a 911 call in the Satsuma area that a 1-year-old was unresponsive at a home. WJXT-TV Channel 4 reported that a 33-year-old man brought the unconscious child to a Sheriff’s patrol car when Wade arrived.
Wade immediately provided aid to the boy until medical first responders arrived.
“I worked on the child for approximately six minutes. At first, the child had nothing, and he was able to be revived right before I gave him off to rescue services,” Wade told WJXT, News4Jax.
When paramedics did arrive, they administered Narcan to sustain the child. That’s a medication used to reverse or stem the impact of opioids. The child was transported to a hospital and eventually recovered.
Upon further investigation and after obtaining a warrant, Putnam Sheriff’s officials searched the home and deputies found various opioid pills, small plastic bags of marijuana and cocaine, methamphetamine pills and other substances, along with various firearms and several rounds of ammunition.
The boy’s mother, Ti’Tashua Thomas, turned herself in on child neglect charges and the man who brought the boy’s body to Wade fled the scene as officials searched the house. He remains at large on warrants for outstanding criminal charges related to the case.
